Abstract
The restrictions of clothing studied in the Bakufu laws and in Kanazawa-Han's, Kumamoto-Han's, Tottori-Han's, Okayama-Han's, Tokushima-Han's and Morioka-Han's had been promulgated for two and a half centuries from 1615 to 1866. The substance of these laws were employed to maintain the class hierarchy, what is called “Shi-No-Ko-Sho” in the Edo period and also utilized as the emblem for its establishment.
In the early Edo period, the restrictions of clothing aimed to clarify the class distinction by the material of his clothing such as silk, pongee, cotton and linen. Then the restrictions were gradually extended even to the manner of weaving, dyed designs, hair-ornaments and footwear.
In the meantime, restrictive laws of clothing which had characteristics of strennous retrenchment policy and frugalty one were proclaimed but they turned out to be fruitless and eventually abolished as Baku-Han system collapsed.
